Death's Detectives
by SetsunaNoroi
Summary: In the bright days of the Victorian Era of England there are dark nights hiding evil dangers. Young detective Ryou Bakura is on the hunt for his family's murderer. Enlisting the help of convicted killer Mariku Ishtar, Ryou is determined to find the guilty party. Of course it is dangerous, but he has ways to keep Mariku in control, and the other actually likes the leash. AU Rated M
1. An Offer

It's been a while since I've written any deathshipping, but I got the idea out of nowhere for this, and I just had to write it. I don't often work with AUs though it seemed like a fun thing to write, so I gave it a shot. I'm going to do my best to keep the character realistically written, but there may be some OOC moments as this is a completely different world they are in.

Warning, this is rated Mature for several reasons! Character deaths, sexual situations, blood and violence, and a lot more macabre and gruesome reasons. If this offends you or you are a bit squeamish, I wouldn't suggest reading it. However, if you do enjoy that kind of thing, I believe this will be perfect for you and I certainly hope you enjoy it.

I do not in anyway own the anime or manga Yu-Gi-Oh, it belonging to Kazuki Takahashi and I would assume the publishing companies that produced it. In no way did I gain monetary value from it, nor do I expect it. This is simply done as a tribute, written by one fan and presented to many.

Chapter 1: An Offer

It was a silent night, as quiet as the grave, though unfortunately not as dead. There was an unusual warmth that hung in the air, stifling and almost to the point where it could choke a person. With fog long since rolled in and the almost boiling heat, Mariku was not enjoying his last night alive. He supposed it should have been too much to ask for, just a single moment of tranquility before the end, and it seemed even that was being denied to him. If the gods above were punishing him somehow, it had to be for a sick reason, some final twisted joke. His life hadn't been spat on enough, he supposed. Maybe in this one last nightmare of an evening, he would finally have a moment of realization, why this had all fucking happened, and why he was here... but somehow he doubted it.

After all, he'd long since given up hope of the world ever trying to be fucking fair to him.

He stared up from his cell window, level with the cobble streets that were moist from the low hanging fog, though there wasn't much to look at. He wasn't going to sleep though, that was for sure. He would have liked to see the stars though, one last time. One last reminder of what a small world he lived on, and that there was something else out there, perhaps a little bit better than this place. Were there really gods out there? Were they watching now? Were they laughing or pitying him?

He considered it and decided if they'd made this place, anywhere else couldn't be much better, and wishing for it was just a waste of time.  
Resting his forehead on his arms, crossed over the rock of his cell, the bars were cool against his tight skin despite the temperate. It was his only relief, and he took it gratefully. His ears perked up a little when he heard soft footsteps, but he didn't look out again. He couldn't imagine why anyone would be out at this time of night, but it didn't matter to much to him. It was only when the sound suddenly stopped right in front of him did he get curious enough to lift his head and gaze up.

"Hello, Mariku Ishtar," a soft voice sounded, timber and gentle, but with a clear and calm tone to it. The voice belonged to a young looking man, his skin pale, but not as much as the white of his hair. Was it the fog making him look like that, or was the convict starting to fall to the sway of tiredness, his determination to stay awake and experience every second before his death finally starting to affect his senses? It didn't help that the mysterious man was dressed in a deep black suit, the combination of the cloth and dark night making him probably look as white as a corpse in comparison. "Do you know who I am?"

"Should I?" Mariku snorted, peering up at him. He was sure he would remember someone like that, but no bells rang in his head. The man looking down at him though seemed to expect an answer more to the affirmative, but he couldn't really give one.

"My name is Ryou Bakura," the man supplied. "I'm a private detective. I was called in to handle the case of your deceased father, and I wanted to ask you a few more questions. Do you have the time?"

Mariku thought for a brief second that this had to be a joke, and it was a bad one at that. It was probably why he laughed so hard, the irony of the question just too funny to him and shattering the silence around him with his throaty, almost howl of his guffawing.

"Time? Well, I'm limited on that," he admitted. "So piss off. I'm not in the mood."

"Did you kill him?" Ryou asked, as if he hadn't heard the insults. "I've been informed you never confessed, and I need to know the truth before your execution tomorrow. It is important to me."

Mariku didn't say anything, glaring up at him a little and seeming like he wished the investigator nothing but ill will.

"Your silence isn't a confession," he pressed.

"The police seemed to think it was," Mariku replied scathingly.

"The police's opinion matters little in this questioning," he informed him. "This is more an issue of curiosity for me. I would like to know the truth, because if you answer me in a truthful manner, I may be able to save your life."

"You want to hear I didn't kill him, so you can try to get me out?" Mariku asked disbelievingly, his eyes narrowing in distrust. "Why?"

"I don't want to hear that you didn't kill him," Ryou stated, shaking his head. "I want to hear the truth. Nothing more, nothing less. How you answer will determine your fate, but I wouldn't suggest guessing what I want to hear. Just tell me if you committed the action you have been charged with or not."

For a moment the man didn't answer. He had kept his silence for so long, refusing to confess even as he'd been beaten and threatened into it, and finally just found guilty in the court systems anyway. He was dead tomorrow, set to hang until his feet stopped twitching.

It hadn't been out of any innocence to be honest, or any noble reasons either. He just had refused to give the officers what they wanted, mostly out of spite. Of course, knowing the man in front of him had been the one to collect the evidence pointing to him as the killer didn't exactly warm him up to the investigator. Would he still fight for him if he thought he wasn't the one guilty, try and convince the others not to execute him? It was a waste of time though.

"I did it," he whispered softly, his voice a low hiss, almost threatening as he gripped the bars and looked up at one of the men who had doomed him, but had seemed to be nowhere when his family had needed help. "I pinned him to a god be damned wall and I stabbed him until he stopped moving, and then a few times more for good measure. I'm fucking happy I did. That monster deserved it, every second of it!"

Mariku expected the man to sigh, shake his head and walk away, but instead he only smiled softly and knelt down a bit, resting his weight on the balls of his feet and wrapping his arms around his legs to get a closer look at the prisoner.

"How did he deserve it?" he asked, and something seemed to change about his demeanor. While before he was calm and reserved, there was a wild gleam in his eyes now, like a slightly crazed genius or something sort of fanatic. It both made Mariku pause and wonder if he was trustworthy and also somehow... know he could trust him, even as the paradox made no sense to him at all. "What did he do to you?"

"Not to me. To my little brother," he whispered. "My father was... a beast. He hated me, more than anything in the world. I never did obey like I was told I should. He was a religious zealot and a crazed man. He believed I was the son of devils for the deeds I did, smoking, drinking and gambling, all since I was young. I stayed in the house, because I hated him just as much and I revealed in making him angry, even as the beatings and cursing fits got worse. When... when my little brother was born, he was determined to make sure he would be a better son. Even gave him a name almost identical to mine, as if he were a replacement. My brother though, he was curious about the world. He wanted to see everything."

He looked down at the floor of his prison, wondering just why all of this was slipping from him so easily. Was this his last confession, as if the angels of the Christian lord had come to try to save him? Mariku had never knew just if believed in any of the gods or not honestly, and he had no idea why such a salvation would come to him now of all times.

After a moment he continued, looking back up at the one who was patiently waiting to hear more.

"My father quickly became just as disappointed with my little brother as he was with me. One day my brother broke out of the house, wishing to see the city. My father had insisted he always be home, in order to keep him from the 'evils' of the world. My sister found him and brought him back... only for my father to go crazy when they returned. He strapped him to a table and dug out a knife, and my sister was too afraid to stop him."

"Did you stop him?" Ryou asked softly. "Is that why you killed him, in defense of your little brother?"

"Hmph. No," he replied with a shake of his head. "I wasn't there at the time. I was at... I was away."

"Where?"

"What the fuck does it matter?!" he snapped suddenly, grabbing the bars. "Would it matter if I was in some opium den, or if I was in church giving away my money to a god who won't help anyone yet demands everything of us, or if I had been fucking trying to find a job in this city that never gave a damn about my family?! It doesn't matter! I WASN'T THERE TO PROTECT HIM!"

In the distance a single dog began to bark and howl, and Ryou titled his head up to listen for a moment. It was the only sign anything had heard his yelling in the middle of the night and after a couple of minutes, seeming satisfied no one was coming to investigate, he merely shrugged and turned his attention back to the one he was questioning.

"You found about it then?" he inquired. "Your brother's mutilation. This was discovered by you later on."

"As soon as I got back home," Mariku replied. "It was late... or early really. The sun was just starting to rise. My brother was in our room, crying with my sister holding him close. When I asked what had happened and she sobbingly informed me of everything, I went into his room, and I woke him up. I started to hit him, over and over again. And when he was broken on the floor, I grabbed the knife that still had little Marik's blood on it, and I drove it into his heart, once for every fucking cut on my brother's back."

"I see," Ryou stated, and that was it. He stayed quiet for several moments before he finally stood up and ran a hand through his long locks and smiled softly.

"So you did it for revenge? For your little brother?"

"If you mean to ask if I killed him for myself, if I had wanted to kill him for my own sake, I would have a long time ago," Mariku replied with a grin. "And I could have. That old man was feeble and weak, and he liked to think himself strong by bullying those smaller than him, and ones that couldn't or wouldn't try to defend themselves. So yes, Mr. Bakura, I am every bit a murderer that you thought of me when you first got here. Now that I've settled your curiosity, you can feel free to run along to your home now."

"Oh, on the contrary, I planned on doing no such thing. At least not yet," he assured him with a chuckle. "I told you depending on how you answered, I would see what I could do. I don't plan on letting you have to serve out your punishment now that I know the truth. You see, I have a vested interest in revenge myself, and when I saw your case, I had a feeling it wasn't just a straight murder. When the body of Mr. Ishtar was discovered in the river, and we came across your family weeks later, I was sure there was more to this than met the eye."

"And what gave you that impression?"

The detective chuckled and pressed a finger to his lips as if to signify a secret.

"Maybe I'll tell you later," he promised. "Let's just say I have ways of getting corpses to tell me what I want to know. But I had to confirm my suspicions, that you had done it for a just reason. Knowing that you did it for your family, it eases my doubts considerably."

"What doubts?" he asked.

Ryou smiled a bit and cocked his head to the side.

"I can help you," he said softly, and from how pleased he sounded, this was clearly the part he was most eager to talk about, the reason why he was here in the middle of a foggy, hot night. "I can save you from this death you face, if you help me. I want to give you a job as my assistant. Of course, what I'm offering isn't entirely legal. If you agree, you'll be leaving this place forever, your family will think you're dead, and you can not tell them otherwise. It would only complicate things. We'll both leave this place and never come back. If that sits well with you, I could use someone like you to help me with my own revenge. If not, you can accept your fate and go along with your execution."

"Who are you trying to get revenge against?" Mariku asked him, feeling curious.

"A killer," he responded. "Someone who slaughtered my family, leaving only me alive. I'm trying to track him down, but he's proving resilient. When I do find him, I want someone who can help me make sure he pays for what he does. A man like you suits the bill perfectly."

"So I either help you track down a killer and take care of him for you, or I die," Mariku muttered. His lips tugged into a twisted grin and he practically hissed in pleasure. "Sounds good. Get me out of here."

"Soon enough," Ryou replied, standing and dusting himself off. "I don't plan to break you out now. It's why we both have to leave once you're with me. I don't plan to become a fugitive myself, after all. Now, your 'execution' will take place on schedule, and I'll make arrangements to smuggle you out afterward."

"Now wait a second," Mariku growled. "How the bloody hell do I know I can trust you?"

"I give you my word, I will not let you be harmed," the young man assured him. "However, I can't afford to have half the force chasing after you, and because of you, me. Just place your trust in me, and you will see many more sun rises, I assure you. Besides, do you have much choice in the matter? Right now, the offer is me or a very cold and solid box in the ground. In reality, it's not such a bad deal. I think you might even enjoy the work I have for you. So, do we have an accord?"

Mariku honestly thought about it for several minutes, weighing his options. This man calling himself Ryou Bakura was right. He didn't have many options. His family had already given their tearful goodbyes to him, unable to keep him from prison or save his life. He had nothing left in this city, and if he agreed he at least wouldn't be hanging from a rope at the end of tomorrow. On the other hand, this character was suspicious in every way, and he could tell he wasn't being told something.

He wasn't the brightest man in the world, but he wasn't an idiot either. Something wasn't right about this deal, as if Ryou had far from told him everything. Though... was anything he had in store for him worse than death?

He couldn't think of any off the top of his head; that could be said without a doubt.

"I don't trust you," Mariku said.

"I didn't expect you to."

"And I know you're not telling me the whole story."

"There isn't really time for it. I've overstayed my welcome here as it is."

"You really expect me to just blindly trust and follow you, when you won't even tell me exactly how you're going to get me out of this?"

"Expect you to? No. But I will admit I will be sorely disappointed if you chose not to."

The damn brat was cheeky, Mariku would give him that much at the very least. He found himself chuckling before he gave a full out laugh, the sound carrying for several minutes before he finally calmed down enough to actually reconsider the offer. Telling the man to go to hell would accomplish nothing, and he would still be waiting in this dismal little cell to await a punishment he didn't feel he really deserved. Or he could gamble with fate and take the lifeline he'd been thrown, maybe by one of the gods and try for something better.

It seemed stupid to trust him, but it seemed even more stupid not to.

"Fine," he said. "You have got a deal. I'll do whatever you want me to, as long as I get to leave this place in one piece."

"Well, I think I can arrange that," Ryou assured him, curling an arm to his waist and bowing a bit to the convict. "For now, I'll depart. I suggest you rest for now. You're going to need it, and I will see you again very soon."

Mariku watched him leave for as long as he could, pressing his face against the bars of his little window until the fog had completely swallowed up the mysterious young man from his sight. He still had an odd feeling about this, but it was too late now. It had been too late when he saw his little brother, curled up and in pain, more scared out of his mind than he had ever been before. It was at that moment Mariku's life had ended, all purpose other than to save his flesh and blood leaving him in an instant.

They would be better off thinking he was dead, and moving on to live a happy life without the horrors their father had put them all through. Maybe even without the last bit of horror he'd put them all through. In the end, he could make his peace with his fate, even if it seemed to be unknown for now. Considering it had been very bleak when he had known what it would entail, even this strange mystery would be a pleasant change.

End of Chapter 1

Relatively short, I know. The next chapter will be longer, no worries, but I wanted to get the setting and mood of the story properly done up. Let me know what you think in the reviews, please. I certainly hope it was enough to wet your appetite.

Thanks to Ria and Thooruchan for helping me by betaing this chapter for me. It's very much appreciated.


	2. Rebecca Hawkins

So here is the second chapter of Death's Detectives, and the very first mystery. I certainly hope that everyone likes it, and I want to thank everyone for the supportive reviews. It's very nice some of the things I was told about this story, and I'm glad I have some fellow deathshippers looking forward to more.

Of course there is the usual disclaimer that I don't own YuGiOh, and I'm not making any money off of this. It's just for fun as a tribute.

Chapter 2: Rebecca Hawkins

It was a dim and cold morning when the door bell chimed at the residence of 194 Clavell Street. Mariku looked up from the breakfast he'd been preparing in the small loft, the small wood stove giving the whole living quarters a hungering smell from the eggs and bacon that he'd been watching over.

Looking over to his roommate, he coughed a bit when he didn't see Ryou move, instead lounged out on a burgundy overstuffed couch, his own little perch that he never allowed anyone else to sit on or touch. He could always be found there when he wished to think or relax, instead of using a study like he should have. True as any other time, the white haired man was there, posed ungracefully with a book propped in his lap and reading the text as if he heard nothing, practically enclosed by the many book shelves he'd shoved into the little nook where he'd placed his beloved sofa. In the small home, it was his space, more so than even his own bedroom.

Mariku coughed again, a little louder this time to get Ryou to hear him, but it seemed the detective had no such plans to do anything at all. His soft lips moved along silently as he continued to read, and didn't even blink when the bell at their door rang even more, as if someone was yanking on it very angrily.

"You do realize you can get that, don't you?" he snapped, not about to let the other be so lazy while he was doing some real work. Their small living quarters were cramped, and at the best of times Mariku didn't mind the small space of only the two bedrooms, bathroom, and living-room that wasn't even separated from the kitchen by a wall or door, but times like this, forced in with Ryou as if they were pickled in a jar together, he wanted to give him a swift smack over the head to get him out of his own little world.

"Hmmm?" Ryou asked, just as a rather loud pounding sounded at their door. "Mariku, aren't you going to get that?"

Mariku gripped a cutting knife and stabbed it insistently into their loaf of bread, and several inches into the table it had been sitting on. His companion seemed to get his unstated meaning, but chuckled at the silent promise of messy violence. Setting his book aside, he got up and dusted himself off.

"Guess I'll see who that is," he informed Mariku teasingly and moved down the few steps of their apartment that lead to their front door. He opened it just as their guest seemed to be ready to ram their knuckles on the wood again and in a startled squeak of a cry, a young lady fell forward, her arms windmilling to catch herself.

Ryou didn't even seem all that surprised and his arm shot out, catching the girl easily before she could hit the floor. Interested, Mariku craned his neck to catch a look of her.

She was relatively short, seeming to be a child, but as she straightened up and pulled out of Ryou's grasp it didn't seem to be the case. She held herself as a proud woman, straightening herself up and smoothing out her dress, made out of fine blue silk that matched her eyes and offset her highly bundled and curled straw blond hair. A bit of baby fat still at her cheeks but intelligence burning in her expression and eyes, she looked like she was only a teenager, just in the process of reaching the final stages of full blossom into womanhood.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Ryou asked, and though his face was straight as a pin, Mariku could hear the faintest of a chuckle in his voice. Sighing, he set the pan with their breakfast off to the side and away from the fire. He had a feeling he should pay this little occurrence his full attention.

The young woman frowned for a moment, silent before nodding.

"I just... I thought maybe you weren't home," she explained. "And I've been looking for you for nearly an hour now. The coach driver was an idiot. He couldn't seem to find this place even if his pay had depended on it, and it damn well did!"

The look of an elegant lady did not match her crude mouth, and Ryou arched an eyebrow, seeming genuinely surprised. In the years Mariku had now known him, he'd never seen him get on well with the opposite sex. He either found them annoying and would avoid them as much as he could, or he would tolerate them with a charming smile but indifferent attitude. It was rare for him to ever find one threatening, but the way he took a small step back to allow her to climb the steps to their living quarters, he seemed to look at her that way.

"My location isn't all that out of the way," he said. "I live just off the Thames River after all. Surely your driver didn't have that much trouble finding us."

"It's a small road to be sure," she said, her accent not sounding British, but more coarse and clear cut. "But even fifteen minutes to get here would take too long. I'm in need of your help, if this in fact the location of Ryou Bakura, the famous detective."

"This is," he replied. "You've found me, and I would guess by the way your so frantic to speak with me, it's a matter of urgency?"

She glanced around at the small home, chewing on her lip as she seemed to ponder and gather her thoughts. Her gaze eventually fell on Mariku and she glanced between the two men uncertainly.

"Oh, let me introduce you to Mariku Ishtar, my companion and trusted friend. He helps me along with my cases, you see," he explained, indicating Mariku, who bowed his head a bit to the lady just to be polite.

"Hello," he said, trying his best to seem polite and nonthreatening to the girl who still looked like a child to him. "What brings you here?"

The young lass sighed for a moment, twisting her fingers together in her nerves. She seemed frazzled in her actions and opened her mouth several times to speak, before closing her lips and sighing. It was if her snappy tone had suddenly been tamed, and Ryou looked increasingly annoyed with every attempt of hers to speak.

"My name is Rebecca Hawkins," she said eventually. "I came here today for help. I'm afraid I've been the victim of a robbery."

"Oh?" Ryou asked, his eyes dancing with a new interest in the woman. He led her to sit down in one of the chairs, waiting for her to explain. Mariku couldn't help but snort at the sight. Amazing really how his whole demeanor could change so quickly based on something so simple. Still, he was curious himself, and walked over to hear the case.

"I guess it's not right to say I was robbed," she corrected herself. "It was the store, my grandfather's shop. His name is Arthur Hawkins. Have you heard of him?"

The detective smiled a bit, his face twisting in a bit of a grin.

"I've read a few of his papers," he answered. "He's a smart man, with interesting theories."

She nodded in agreement, seeming more relaxed now, with even a small connection to base her explanation off of.

"He is a very smart man," she concurred. "Traveling so much in his youth, he used to be an archeologist, trying to uncover ancient civilizations and figure out the lost past of many people. He was very successful, and became increasingly well off. When he retired, he started his own shop on Bond Street, dealing in antiques and rarities. He's a very kind man, but very old. When my parents died in the Americas, he took me back to England to name me the heir of his estate, and I run things when he is out for business, or on leave with friends."

"Sounds like a big responsibility for one so young," Ryou noted, letting her take her time in building up to her point. "Very forward thinking as well. I imagine not many think kindly of a woman with a head for business. In any case, please go on."

"Sadly, I think most would agree with you," she muttered, once again losing her grace to an annoyed and even childish tone. "I think it might have to do with what happened, to be perfectly frank. A few years back my grandfather returned from an auction he attended while in New Zealand with a friend of his, Solomon Muto. He'd been gone for almost three months, and he came back with several treasures. He likes to keep the shop full of antiques that can fetch a fancy price you see, and he'd go to any means to get them. It's like an adventure to him, one he cherishes.

"One of the items he returned with was a jewel, by the name of the Blue Eye of the White Dragon. It was the most beautiful I had ever seen. In the years it has been with us, I have only been able to glance at it a few times, and even then I was transfixed by its beauty. Apparently it was a very coveted jewel, for he barely won it in the bidding. He often keeps it locked at our home in a safe even I do not know the combination for, and only on the rarest occasion does he bring it out. He says there is something special about it, that there is good luck in the stone. He told me the very day he bought it, Mr. Muto had suffered a heart failure. He was expected to die, but when my grandfather came to visit him, he stayed by his side and refused to leave. Amazingly, Mr. Muto pulled through, and was found to even be healthier than before. They have both said they believe the Blue Eye granted this, thought whenever I asked, my grandfather would always just laugh and shake his head.

"Well, last night just before closing, he was away at the gentleman's club, and I was just having the servants and clerks close up for the day when someone came in. I may be the heir to a rich man, but I don't care much for social climbing. I don't pay attention to gossip or names of people who are important just because they've convinced everyone around them that they should be. I think that should say just how impressive a man Mr. Seto Kaiba is, that I recognized him on sight."

"Seto Kaiba?" Mariku asked, shocked. "One of the richest men in London, and favored in the Queen's court? What was he doing there?"

"I asked him that very thing myself," she explained. "He was rushed about things though, and he kept demanding to speak to my grandfather, despite me telling him he wasn't in. Eventually he snapped and demanded I then fetch either him or someone who could settle his complaint of theft."

"Why did he say he'd been stolen from?" Ryou asked. "Did it have to do with this jewel you've been telling us about?"

"As a matter of fact, it did," she stated hotly. "When I told him to leave, he angrily told me about the Blue Eye of the White Dragon and how it was his by right. He'd been trying to find it for a very long time, he said, and no one could treasure it as he did. He told me his father had owned several mining shafts when it had been discovered, and while his father had, 'Been a fool and sold it off years ago,' as he said, it should belong to him by right. I told him he could come back in a day or two and discuss it with my grandfather, but he was so incensed, he absolutely refused and ordered that I give it to him now. I don't think my grandfather would have let his treasure go away so easily, but he's a fair man, and he would never intentionally keep something from anyone just out of spite. I was sure they would be able to come to some agreement. Mr. Kaiba refused though, and stated he was sure we would do everything to keep it to ourselves. He then left."

"I see," Ryou said, interlacing his fingers as he listened. He'd sat down in his sofa, listening intently to her tale and seeming to ponder it over. "Did you tell your grandfather?"

"I did, and he told me not to be troubled with it, that he would do his best to resolve it in the morning. However... when I awoke..."  
Her lips quivered a bit as she trembled, her eyes starting to tear up a little as she looked imploringly at Ryou.

"My grandfather was gone," she breathed out, holding her hands tightly together. "I went to wake him up in the morning and he had just... vanished. His window's latch was broken, rain from the night before spilled onto the carpet, and his bed was in disarray. At first I didn't know what to think, but then I saw the safe... and it was open, with only one thing missing. The Blue Eye had been taken."

"So Kaiba took it," Mariku said, his fists clenched. "When did this happen? How many hours ago? If we hurry, I'm sure we can find him before anything bad happens."

"Why didn't you go to the police?" Ryou suddenly asked, cutting Mariku off. "Surely this is a matter they could handle?"

"I... I wanted to... but... Mr. Kaiba is very influential. They would never go after him with just my testimony, and aside from his room, there's no sign of foul play. Even the safe wasn't broken into, but looked like it had been opened normally. I had no one else to turn to, mostly because I knew the Scotland Yard would never go after such a prestigious man without a sure thing. You are my only hope for justice, and to find my grandfather."

Ryou paused for a second, considering it and tapping his finger onto his chin. He sighed before shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in the employ of doing work for people who refuse to go to the police. I'm sure if you went to them without openly accusing the man you suspect, they'd be able to help you just fine and find the guilty party easily enough. Of course, that's even if there has been a crime. Did it occur to you that he just left with a rush to conduct with business with Mr. Kaiba, like he said he was going to?"

"That is not what happened!" she cried out, jumping up from her chair. "He would have informed me when he left if that were the case! No, he had to have been stolen into the night, and I know it just had to have been done by that Kaiba man! You have to help me!"

"No, that's where you're wrong," Ryou said, shaking his head and picking his book back up. "Your case isn't all that remarkable, or even interesting. I don't often get myself involved in petty things like jewel thefts, and I'm sure the police will be able to handle it just fine."

Rebecca's face turned red so quickly, it was if paint had been splashed on her skin. She looked as if she was tempted to say some very coarse things to the detective, and Mariku couldn't blame her. From what he had heard, it seemed pretty clear cut.

"Ryou, you can't be serious," he said, cutting in before the girl could. "You're not even going to look into this? Don't tell me you're afraid of Kaiba."

Ryou chuckled softly, as if the idea was amusing to him.

"The worst any man could do to someone is kill them. Once you realize that is all the power they have over you, and anything else you can walk away from and become stronger over, it's much less of a threat. If your grandfather becomes a corpse, and you have a murder case on your hand, you can come to me then."  
The color drained from her face as quickly as it had filled it, going pale and looking as if she were going to be sick.

"Fine then!" she snapped and stomped off to the door. "I will find my grandfather on my own, since his possible demise is so boring to you! Good day!"

The door slammed so harshly, a few books toppled down from his shelves, but Ryou paid it no mind, intent on going back to his book. Mariku however snarled, and snatched it away from him, causing his partner to look up at him in irritation.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the dark skinned man demanded before Ryou could even try to get his book back. "You don't want to help her?"

"I have a policy of only dealing with murders," Ryou said with a shrug. "We are called Death's Detective Agency after all. Why in the world would I be involved in some silly gem theft?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because her grandfather was taken in the middle of the night and needs help," he snapped out. "This really isn't interesting to you?"

The man on the couch sighed and blew his hair out of his eyes.

"You haven't changed since I met you. You're very passionate, Mariku, but it leads you to dangerous paths. A man like Mr. Kaiba, obsessed with material wealth has no interest in except what he can get from other people. He's driven, I'm sure, purely by profit. Once he has the stone, and has ensured it can be his legally, I'm sure he'll let the old man go. Murder won't profit him."

"So you do think he took the man?" Mariku asked.

"Oh, I'm sure of it, and that's why I won't do anything. Because it's pointless. And," he shot his companion a dark look, "if we do try to interfere, it may cost him his life. Men chased get desperate, and desperate men do foolish, and often fatal things. If that girl had a brain, she'd let it be and just wait for her grandfather's return instead of risking his life. I'm doing her a favor by not getting involved. Mr. Kaiba probably won't pay much attention to some little girl, but if he knows I'm on the case..."

"You don't know this man will spare Mr. Hawkins life. He might die anyway," Mariku growled out.

"The odds are against it," he stated coolly. "Now, if I could get my book back."

"Damn your fucking book!" he yelled. "You'd be jumping to help if this little girl was Ama-"

The detective was out of his chair so fast, Mariku actually took a step back. His calm face suddenly looked livid, a dangerous and explosive fire burning in his eyes. He didn't even have to say anything, and Mariku knew he'd overstepped his bounds. It was a subject they didn't discuss often, and while Mariku knew everything about Ryou's past, it wasn't right to bring it up like that.

"I... sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean it."

Ryou continued to glare for a moment before sighing and shaking his head, turning away. Mariku hated when he did that. He was hard enough to read already without even being able to see his face, but it was the man's way of hiding what he didn't want to be seen, like some child covering themselves with blankets in a vain attempt to not be found.

"Yes you did," he said eventually. "You meant every word. True, if it were her, I'm sure I would help. However if my sister was still alive, I wouldn't be in this business... and neither would you."

"You could prevent that from happening to someone else," he countered, ignoring the last scathing comment. Yes, if Ryou had never found him, he would be a decayed corpse at this point, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to point out when Ryou was wrong out when he clearly was. "You could prevent that girl losing her family like you did."

"I am, by not doing anything at all," he said. "I've already explained that."

"Well, you can excuse me then, because that's not good enough," Mariku stated. "I'm going to help her. You enjoy your book."

Walking out without another word, he ran down the street, passing a few people as he did so. It was a small street they lived on, just off the Thames River and near the railroads. Ryou had picked it not for the location, but with the explanation that trash of all sorts was dumped in the river and it it often found its way to him, making his work easier.

"What does one do when they have secrets to hide?" he'd said. "Why go to the darkest, most desolate place and try to get away with that secret. Whether it be evidence, bodies, or even cruel suspects, somehow, they always find their way in this filthy city to the filthiest part of town, and that's where I wait."

The fact he thought of most people and things in a such a way had never bothered Mariku too much, mostly because he was right.

This time though, he thought Ryou and his callous attitude was completely ridiculous. He couldn't possibly think that sitting by and doing nothing would really help, would it?

He caught sight of the girl just as she was hailing down a cab, and rushed up to her.

"Hey!" he called. "Hey you! Wait!"

She seemed a bit startled, looking his way as he rushed up to her, and turned away from the cab driver, telling him to wait a moment.

"What do you want?" she asked as she eyed in him annoyance. "Did your employer have one more horrible thing to say to me?"

"My employer can go jump in a damn lake," he said, not bothering to hide his temper from the girl. From the way she acted, he didn't think she would care much anyway. "I'm here on my own, to offer assistance in finding your grandfather."

"W-what?" she asked, seeming shocked by his words. "You will? But I thought..."

"It would be without the actual detective," he admitted. "I'm far from useless though. I have quite a few skills that could help you if this Mr. Kaiba is really so dangerous."

"I... I would love any help I can get," she admitted hesitantly before grinning and nodding. "Alright. If you want to come with and help, I certainly won't object."

Smiling with her, he climbed into the cab after her, already thinking things out.

"We'll have to start with the bedroom," Mariku said. "Like I said before, I'm not the detective of the team, but I should be able to pick up on something. Kaiba is way too important to have done something like this himself, so he probably sent someone instead. I can imagine hiring a crook to do it was pretty easy with his money."

"Do you think it was some burglar?" she asked.

"Maybe," he said with a shrug. "A burglar would probably just take the jewel and leave though, unless your grandfather woke up. There might have been a fight over it, and that's why he was captured. On the other hand, he could have been taken along as punishment for not giving up the jewel at all. Not that it matters much."

She looked at him strangely, confused by his last comment.

"Why wouldn't it matter why he was taken?" she asked.

"Because either way, I plan on breaking the legs of whoever did it, no matter what their excuse is for trying to hurt your family," he replied with a grin and cracking his knuckles together. "My skill set isn't dedicated to finding out why crooks do what they do, just punishing them for it."

He glanced at her, his grin almost cruel and wicked.

"Are you fine with that, Miss?"

She looked at him, her eyes cold for a second. He was sure she was thinking about how she'd felt when she walked into his room and finding him missing, the fear flooding in her when she realized he was gone.

"I don't think that will be a problem, Mr. Ishtar," she whispered.

#-#

When they reached the home, Mariku didn't waste time. He had her bring him straight to the master bedroom, and immediately began looking around. Just like she'd said, the window was wide open but the room seemed less ransacked than he had expected.

Walking over to the safe, he glanced inside and saw it still full of things. Baubles and papers, a bar of gold or two, but none of it touched. If he didn't know the Blue Eye was supposed to be in there, he would have suspected there hadn't been a robbery at all. It didn't even seem to have been riffled through.

"You said you don't know the combo to this safe?" he asked her. "Is he the only one that does? Your grandfather, I mean. Any of the servants that know it?"  
She quickly shook her head in answer.

"Hmm," he mused before going over to the window. The carpet was pretty damp, and with no sunlight out this morning, it wasn't drying very quickly either. Kneeling down, he ran his fingers over it, seeing wet footprints, though they were barely visible anymore. Trailing his hands over them and checking where they led, they were clear enough to follow, going straight to the bed, and then turning back to the safe, though they stopped several feet of the actual spot where the treasures where kept, before looping back to the window. It was a straight and sure line the whole way, and no frantic looking steps that would have suggested a struggle.

Standing up, he moved out the large window and to the balcony, gripping the rich wooden frame and looking down. Up three floors, but no marks on the wall to suggest someone had scaled their way up.

"Someone might have used a grappling hook, but that would have been pretty nosy," Mariku sighed, not able to put together just how a normal man would have gotten up there. "Maybe a ladder, but that would have attracted attention, even in the middle of the night. Is there a woodshed around here?"

"Oh, yes," she said. "We have one where the gardener keeps his tools. There's a ladder or two there for repairs if the roof or walls ever get damaged, and to trim the flowers we keep on vine lattices outside the home."

"Our burglar might have stopped there first," Mariku muttered. "Gotten a ladder and climbed up. He got in, and came to the bed where your grandfather was sleeping. There isn't a sign of a struggle, so he had to have coerced him to do as he was told, probably had a gun on him. He then forced Mr. Hawkins to go to the safe and get the Blue Eye."

"But then where is my grandfather?" she inquired. "If the burglar had what he wanted, why take a defenseless old man with him?"

That one was a little tougher. Was Ryou right in saying that Kaiba had probably taken him to force a sale, so it would look like he'd gotten it legally? No one was above the law with enough evidence after all. He could have forced the man to write up a receipt to make it look genuine.

But then... why still have him?

"Whoever did this was short, from the look of his small footprints," he said eventually, trying to ease the girl by sounding like he was sure of something. "His shoe size looks like a six, tops, and he doesn't have a long stride. He probably wasn't rushed. This was a very professional burglar, and I don't think a man like that would have just killed your uncle and dumped him. I think Kaiba has him for a reason, though I don't know what it is."

"So what do we do?" she asked him.

"Well, the obvious," Mariku said, glad he could tell her something he was sure with full confidence he could do. "We go to the so called prestigious Mr. Seto Kaiba, and make him tell us."

"W-what?" she asked. "But there will be guards, and he wouldn't ever let you into his house. We could never-"

"Trust me," he said, kneeling down a little to look in her eyes. "Miss Hawkins, do you want your grandfather back?"

"Of course I do," she whispered. "More than anything. I don't even care if he is allowed to keep the stupid jewel, as long as my grandfather is safe."

"Then I'll get him back for you," he promised, smiling. "It doesn't matter if he had a hundred guards in armor, I'll find him and make him give up."

"You're boasting," she said, crossing her arms and looking at him disbelievingly.

"You don't think I can," he stated. It wasn't a question.

"No, I don't. But I do appreciate you saying otherwise to cheer me up," she admitted.

"Well, neither does Mr. Kaiba, so I'll have the advantage," he stated seriously before straightening up. "Believe me, he doesn't have a chance in the world against a man like me. I'll be back with your grandfather soon enough."

He turned to leave before a hand caught the back of his coat. Confused, he turned to look at the girl.

"Yes?"

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"Ah... no," he said. "That's not a good idea. You could be hurt and-"

"So could you," she said. "I'm not letting some stranger, as nice as they seem, go off alone when it is my blood that is on the line. He is my grandfather and I'm going to help him, not matter what it takes."

"I'm not really all that nice," he said slowly. "And I can't guarantee you'd be safe. This is going to be very, very dangerous."

"Mr. Ishtar, one of two things are going to happen," she said, her tone crystal clear. "You are going to come with me to save my grandfather, or you will leave without me, in which case I will wait a grand total of five minutes before following after you and coming anyway, in which case you won't have any idea where I am in that mansion of his, and you'll be worried that whole time instead of being able to focus on finding him. If you're so sure of your skills to get in, surely you can protect me, hmm?"

Mariku was starting to see why Ryou hadn't had much interest in the case. This one could be rather stubborn and pushy when she wanted to be. It was pretty annoying.

"Fine," he conceded with a sigh. "If you insist."

She looked pleased as punch at him giving in, and grabbed his hand, dragging him along with her.

"Wonderful!" she cried. "We'll teach that foul Kaiba not to mess with the Hawkins! Come on, we have to hurry up!"

Her sudden enthusiasm about going right into danger should have made him try one more time to tell her to stay here, and he could have made her, but something made him give in anyway. He knew what it was like to worry about family, to go to any lengths to protect them, and to go even further to avenge them. It's why he was in this business. He wouldn't be able to do much for her if the man was already deceased... but if he was...  
He was going to make sure this girl at least got her revenge.

The ride to Kaiba's mansion was in silence, neither he nor Rebecca saying a word. Mariku's skin felt tight, almost in anticipation. He'd have to hold back with the girl with him, but he'd still be able to cut loose and have a little bit of fun. It gave him a thrill that made him wonder if he'd just had the bad luck of being born in the wrong century in a more civilized time. Hurting others gave him a release he craved, a high that no hit of a drug could give him. In his mind, every person who he beat within an each of their life was his father all over again. Every scumbag Ryou tracked down and he got to detain for the police was another slice of sweet revenge he could explore. He could take the people who made the whole world ache in pain and anguish, and he could give it back to them, tenfold.

He imagined Kaiba thinking no one could touch him, that the law and money would protect him, but unfortunately Mariku didn't give a damn about those kind of things.

Stepping off the cab when it reached their destination, he looked up at the expansive building. It made the Hawkins household look miniscule in comparison, and clearly the man inside enjoyed the wealth. It was almost as impressive as the palace, a large wrought iron gate between the street and the lavish home, and there were two men there, resting against the gate, one smoking a cigarette calmly while the other watched the passing crowd. A quick glance at them didn't reveal any weapons, but he suspected they each at least had a revolver under their coats.

Mariku strode right up to them, Rebecca behind him, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Let me in," he ordered, causing the two to look at him questionably.

"Oi, and who are you?" the one with the cigarette asked. "Aint no one goes in without good reason."

"I'm here to see Mr. Kaiba," he replied. "I think that's reason enough."

"Oh, is that so?" he sneered. "Well then you can just bugger off, you damn wog!"

He'd been speaking loudly enough for several people to take notice, and many of them stopped and started to see what the commotion was about. Mariku didn't pay it a lick of attention when he suddenly shot forward and grabbed the men, bashing their heads together with a sickening crack. Before they could even fall to the ground, he grabbed one by his front and shoved his hand into his jacket, grabbing a metal object out of the pocket. Sure enough, it was a revolver, and he pulled it out, thrusting it into the air, pulling the trigger several times. From the screaming and scrambling around behind him, anyone who might have thought about stopping him were now running away in panic. Turning around, he grabbed Rebecca by the shoulder and pulled her close to keep her from being jostled by the crowd and stepped casually toward the gate, dropping the gun as he did so.

"A-aren't you going to keep that?" she asked, her expression and voice full of shock.

"Don't need it," he assured her. "I prefer working with my hands anyway."

"Oh... I see," she said as he pushed the gate open and pulled her along with him.

"Sure you wanted to come along?" he asked, leering down at her. "That's going to be the least exciting thing that happens once we get inside."

She nodded quickly, moving as close to him as possible and gripping his hand tightly in her own two smaller ones.

"I'm sure."

"Alright then."

Moving quickly up the cobbled walk way, he reached the door and slammed it open. The large hall of polished wood and shiny checkered titles was occupied by only one man in a suit, dressed in the uniform of a butler. He didn't even get a chance to react before Mariku was upon him, driving his fist into the man's throat and shoving him into a wall. The man gagged and choked, coughing violently as Mariku pushed him up the wall slowly until his feet were dangling off the floor.

"Now that we've established just who's in charge here, I have a question for you," he stated coldly. "I'm looking for your employer. Where is he?"

"Who... who are you?" the man gasped out.

"Just someone who wants to ask him a few questions," he replied, his fingers tightening around his throat. "Now, you really should tell me what I want to know."

"And may I ask what you want with Mr. Kaiba?"

Mariku turned his head suddenly to the sound of someone talking and saw an incredibly short man in a black suit and dark tinted glasses. He looked flabby in his suit, the fat on his neck nearly rolling off onto his clothes, and his bald head shinning with sweat. He was standing at the top of the stairs, a gun in his hand and cocked, ready to fire.

"I would suggest you let Roland go," he hissed. "I don't know who you are, or why you're here, but this is trespassing, and I have every right to shoot you."

"You're not exactly seeming very threatening up there," Mariku said before dropping the butler into a heap on the floor. "You should put that away. You're going to hurt yourself."

The small man's brow furrowed in anger before they glanced over and saw Rebecca, who had quickly hidden behind Mariku at the sight of the gun.

"Oh, I understand now," he snarled. "You're here for the Blue Eye, is that it? I recognize that little brat that Mr. Kaiba argued with."

"We're just here for Mr. Hawkins," Mariku bit out. "Nothing more."

"Oh really?" he sneered. "And just how do you plan to do that, pray tell? We've gone to a lot of effort to track the Blue Eye down, and we're not going to let some idiot like you ruin it. Mr. Hawkins will stay with us until he tells us how to harness the stone, or he will die."

Harness? Just what was he talking about? Mariku snorted and decided it didn't matter all that much.

"Listen you, little fucking idiot," Mariku snapped as he took a step forward but a shot rang out as he did so, hitting him square in the shoulder. Lurching back and grabbing his arm, blood seeping out onto his palm, his eyes widened as he heard his client scream, falling from her cover behind him, jostled by his sudden movement. He stared up at the man moved his arm, taking aim at the teen and firing.

"Miss Hawkins, look out!" he cried, shoving her back as he got in front of her, a fatal idea.

Her eyes widened in horror and shock as the bullet hit Mariku square in the forehead, exploding out the back of his head in a mess of hair, bits of skull and brain, and blood. Her legs shook underneath of her as she slipped silently to her knees, tears prickling in her eyes. She felt the warm blood on her face, splattered on and staining her skin. His body slumped forward in a single perfect arc, hitting the ground with a wet and sickening squelch, while her hands slowly trembled up to her mouth, agape before she began to scream hysterically.

End of Chapter 2

Review if you would be so kind. I'm just dying to see the reactions to this. And big thanks to Ria for the beta reading.


	3. Power of the Blue Eye

I have to say, I feel bad for leaving this so long. My update schedule has always been pretty erratic, but almost four months for a brand new story is pretty bad. Suffice to say it's been busy. With the summer and holidays going on, I've been taking double shifts with my job, and it's been leaving me exhausted. Just the other day I literally worked two 8 hour shifts in one day. It's been tiring me out, and what little time I do have off, I spend sleeping.

However, things look like they're going to die down from now on and I'll be much better off. I'm going to try something new with updating once a week, forcing myself to spend at least an hour locked up in the room and just writing. I'm hoping on Mondays would be best, giving my beta readers the weekend to read it over, but we'll see.

For now, feel free to enjoy the conclusion of the second chapter.

Chapter 3: Power of the Blue Eye

Rebbeca's screams didn't stop as she stared down at the corpse in front of her. The blood would not stop gushing out, streams turning into rivers, pools... oceans of the crimson liquid. The smell made her want to be sick, and she felt useless as she sat there, unable to do anything for the man who had been killed to save her life. This was all her fault. She'd insisted on coming with him. She'd not listened when he told her it would be dangerous, too intent on the rescue of her grandfather. He'd become distracted when her life had been endangered, and he hadn't even been able to make it past the first room because of her.

A soft click sounded, but it was enough to break through her hysterics. Her wide eyes snapped up to see the gun pointed at her by the fat, short man. It was as if the world had slipped away from her during an indistinguishable amount of time, drowning her in the sands of a hourglass, only to pull her back with a horrible jolt. He was right in front of her now, and she'd never even noticed him approach. She swallowed the horrible tight feeling in her throat, knowing she was going to die in this place, seeing her last moments would be drowned in darkness and blood.

"Oh... oh god no," she whispered softly. "No..."

"GET DOWN, MISS HAWKINS!"

Jumping in fright, she looked up to see the last person she'd expected, jumping onto the shooter and grabbing his wrist, forcing it up to the ceiling just as another shot rang out. She watched Ryou Bakura wrestling with the shorter man until he was able to throw him off balance and toward the ground.

"D-detective... Bakura?" she breathed, her breath hitching. "I... what... your partner... he..."

"Don't worry about that now," he snapped, grabbing her wrist and hurling her up to her feet. "I'll handle that later. We need to get out of here, right now!"

He pulled her along with her as he started to run, and in shock she could only follow him, stumbling as she ran and desperately trying to keep up. She looked around frantically, trying to figure out where he was going, but as he ran down halls and ducked past door after door, she was getting the impression he had no idea where he was going. It was only when he shouldered open a door and rush in did he stop suddenly, the girl crashing into his back before he threw his arm back to keep her in place behind him.

She was only barely able to peek past his back to see what had made him stop so suddenly, and the sight was not a pleasant one.

They must have accidentally doubled around somewhere, or the butler knew the house well enough to get around them and cut them off. They were in a large ballroom and the man who's murdered Mariku stood in the middle, revolver pointed at Ryou and looking incredibly smug. He had a right to be too, standing behind him several men in suits carrying double barreled riffles and looking more than ready to use them. At a glance she thought there were maybe twenty, but there could have easily been more.

"I guess Mr. Kaiba really was expecting resistance," Ryou sighed, grimacing a little. "I perhaps was a little careless."

His eyes narrowed when he found all the weapons suddenly pointed at him, and the murderer snarling at him.

"Alright now, who are you?" he demanded.

"Oh, no one too important," Ryou assured, his expression suddenly changing to a bright and cheerful. "Simply a corpse herder."

If the man had a reaction to that, he didn't have time to express it. Rebecca screamed again when the wall to their right suddenly exploded in a debris of polished wood and wallpaper, brick and mortar scattering around on the floor in chunks no larger than pebbles. In the mess of the architecture, a man stood there, eyes narrowed and teeth bared in a snarl.

Mariku staggered in over the rubble, breathing deep and growling like a tiger just let out of his cage after miserable treatment by his captures. Blood was still flowing from his head and shoulder, his body twisted and disjointed like someone who had been shot would be.

Like a corpse would be.

Every single person had turned to look at the broken down section of the wall, a few of the men backing off slowly. Others quickly turned to point their guns at him, but it was not with the same gait that they'd had against Ryou. The detective in question raised his hand and grinned.

"Mariku..." he said before he snapped his fingers. "Time to start, wouldn't you say?"

It was as if an explosion had suddenly happened in the room, Mariku rushing forward and jumping into the swarm of guards. He moved faster than should have been allowed, driving a fist into his supposed killer's stomach and literally sending the man flying. He crashed sickeningly into the wall behind him, but Mariku wasn't done yet, grabbing another by his collar and hefting him over his head and throwing him at the other guards, taking down a whole handful of them in mere seconds. He tore shotguns out of men's hands and cracked them into their bodies with sickeningly loud crunches, breaking their bodies as easily as if he were a child breaking dolls.

Screams and shots echoed in the hall, and Ryou took the girl by the shoulders, pushing her out of the way just as a man went skidding across the floor, leaving a trail of blood from his arm Mariku had nearly snapped off. She wanted to look away, to see anything else but this sight, and yet any time she tried she only saw more brutality and gore. The lady was sure she'd be sick by the end of this, if she survived.

"He's impressive, isn't he?" Ryou asked, watching the scene with only the barest bit of interest. His arms crossed and leaning his weight to rest on one foot, it was as if seeing people getting knocked around so ruthlessly by what should be a dead man wasn't worth his attention.

"What... what is he?" Rebecca asked, barely able to look away to give the detective an imploring look, wanting him to explain.

"I guess it is astute of you to ask that, what instead of a who," he said. "He's what I made him. Like I stated before, I am a corpse header. I take the dead, and I breathe life into them. The more effort I put into it, the more life I can grant. Mariku is a unique endeavor of mine. He's indestructible, powerful, and he can never die, mostly because he has already. I think the closest term you would know in your language would be a zombie, though it's not quite right. After all, he's hardly rotting, and he certainly has a pulse, but he is by no means alive by the standard definition anymore either."

"So... before when he took the bullet for me... it didn't really kill him?"

"No. One of the reasons I insisted I didn't take the case," he sighed. "Miss Hawkins, you're a total brat, I do hope you're aware of that."

"What?!" she cried out, seeming to have finally been snapped out of her horrified state, a few well worded insults and she had all her gusto back, glaring at him in spite. He couldn't help but chuckle. It was very tenacious of her, he had to give her credit on that. "What do you mean by that?"

"Not now," he said, shaking his head. "Right now, I do believe your grandfather is still in danger. We should probably go check on him, since you insisted on coming out this whole way. Mariku! Enough playing!"

The Egyptian looked up from his work, hunched over the last of men and scowling. There were several more bullet holes in his chest, but he didn't seem to be paying them any mind, or the blood flowing out of him. Like a gargoyle on the great cathedrals, he was stooped and viscous, pinning a whimpering man down to the floor by the back of his head. The moving corpse seemed as if he would have loved to crush it in his hands, but amazingly enough, his victim was still alive.

It took Rebecca a second to realize all the men were still alive, though many of them would probably never get up and walk again. It scared her more than the thought of Mariku just going berserk. He'd done all of this but avoided any fatalities... completely in control of himself the whole time. He had wanted to act like that. It was more scary than if he'd been out of control.

Ryou clucked his tongue a few times before walking past him and toward the man who'd first been attacked, the butler that seemed in charge and smirked slightly at seeing the unsightly lump crying a bit, bruised and bleeding all over. He was still breathing though, a considerable feat considering Maiku could have ripped him in half if he'd wanted to.

"Nice case of holding back. I owe you a biscuit," he stated over his shoulder, causing Mariku to snarl and stalk over to the detective.

"My head fucking hurts," he hissed. "I'm allowed to be a little pissed off."

"Yes, but killing the suspect isn't what I hired you for, despite what you think," Ryou said with a smile. He leaned down by the whimpering man who seemed scared out of his wits, but to be fair, he'd been getting attacked by a dead man. As Rebecca approached as well, the white haired young man nudged him a bit with his foot. "You're the burglar, I take it? The one who kidnapped Mr. Hawkins. What's your name?"

"D-Daimon... Daimon Hobson," he wheezed out, trying to move, only to have Mariku step crudely on his throat. The dark skinned man was slowly healing up, his body repairing itself, but with his face still half gone, he made for a terrifying sight. The small man was smart enough not to move again.

"Well, Mr. Hobson, I'm going to need your help," Ryou stated. "Because I know quite a few things regarding this case, but I'm a fan of having all the loose ends tied up. Now, if your master has any desires of getting what he lost back, you should really take me to him, now. This is not a request. This is not a inquiry. I know perfectly well who is at stake here, and you will bring me to him, or your life is not the only one on the line. Do you understand?"

He took the soft gurgle from the heap of flesh as a confirmation and nodded to Mariku. On cue, he yanked the fat little man up and shoved him forward, making him walk. They all followed as they started on down, Mariku still livid, Ryou lethargic, and Rebecca bewildered.

"I... I don't understand," she said as they moved down a hallway, steadily moving down to a set of stairs. They passed several doors, most of them locked to which the butler provided a key for each one. "How... how is any of this happening? How could he still be alive? Why are you here? How do you seem to know what's going on so well when I had only just approached you about the case?"

"I have to admit, for everything going on, you're taking it all in relative stride," Ryou complimented. "I'll answer your questions in the best order I can. I really had no intention of taking your case, Miss Hawkins, not in the way you would have wanted me to anyway. I'm not really in the business of handling living victims you see. There's only so much you can help them, and I often find I can really only be of use to a corpse, giving my talents. However, I suppose I couldn't ignore situation, and I really did have to come and help. Of course, I also received a bit of a scolding for refusing you at first."

Mariku snorted in annoyance, but Ryou merely continued.

"From your descriptions of what had happened, I already had all the information I needed. You said yourself you're not into social events that go on around you, but I try to study the elements of all life in London. Makes my work easier, and I think if you'd known what I'd read in the paper only a day or two previously, you would have been much less cross with a certain Mr. Kaiba. It wasn't front page news, but in the papers no less."

"What was?" she asked.

"Don't you find it a bit odd how empty this large mansion is?" he asked her. "He has a full staff, a little brother, several personal servants and... someone else. Someone dear to him. And yet, not a soul aside from the guards you bumped into. You would think the commotion would have had more people running, don't you? He sent them away, for this he would need privacy. After all, most wouldn't understand what he was trying."

They came to the last door, but to this one, Hobson had no key. There were crude chalk drawings all over the wood, hastily scribbled on and Ryou strode forward, running his hand down one of the runes, sighing.

"Kaiba clearly is desperate, but it's not going to work," he said softly. "The jewel doesn't work like that, and it never will. Mariku."

The undead moved forward, raising his fist and slamming it into the wood. It crashed in, exploding in bits of wood and dust, a few stones of the framework falling in and onto the floor. Striding in calmly, Ryou sighed softly.

The room was wide, but circular in shape and leaving a very cramped feel to it. Colder than the hallway, and dark, the only source of lights were the few candles spread out on the floor, lined up at certain junctures and crisscrosses of a chalk circle on the floor. In the very middle of it was a long wooden table, a woman laying on top of it with long blue tinted hair splayed out underneath of her, and her whole body seeming to glow. In fact, it was glowing. A small blue stone was next to her, glowing the same shade, and an open book next to it that someone was frantically flipping the pages through.

"Hello, Mr. Kaiba," he said to the shocked pair in the room. It was the only other two from what Rebecca could see, a tall man with brown hair and deep blue eyes, wide in astonishment at being interrupted, and in the corner and tied to a chair, a gagged older man still in his sleeping clothes and face pale in terror.

"Grandfather!" the young lady cried, moving to run for him, but she was grabbed by Ryou.

"Wait, it's best you don't do anything rash," he said softly.

"Just who are you people?!" Kaiba demanded. "What are you doing in here? Hobson, did you let them-"

"Shut up," Maiku snapped, shoving the butler in question to the ground in front of them. "I'll show you exactly why your little lackey led us here. You'd look better torn in half anyway."

"Mariku, no," Ryou said, shaking his head. "Mr. Kaiba, perhaps you know me. I'm Ryou Bakura, detective, and I'm here to tell you this isn't going to work. She's not going to come back from that stone."

"You don't know anything!" Kaiba shouted at him. "I won't allow her to-"

"I don't think Miss Kisara would appreciate you kidnapping people and having anyone who tried to stop you killed!" Ryou yelled over him. "Now with all due respect to a man in grieving, you can be quiet and let me work!"

"She died recently, didn't she?" he said softly, running a finger down her cheek. "Fell down the stairs from what the story in the paper said. The Blue Eye of the White Dragon does not have the ability to bring back those of the dead. She's lost to you if you rely on those means. Mariku, Rebeca, feel free to untie the good professor. He should be taken away from here."

She was hurrying to her grandfather before he'd even finished his sentence, tearing the gag off while Mariku started on the knots.

"Before you try to stop them," Ryou said, holding up his hand to Kaiba's chest, "I want you to know you're wrong. The stone does indeed have healing qualities, and it can reverse many afflictions, but it's never to be known to bring people back to life. Claiming it to be yours so you had a right to try to purchase it, the lies hiding your real purpose for the stone, and how you acted so desperate to get it, despite your own admission thinking of it only for it's material possession. Honestly, did you really expect me not to figure it all out?"

"I didn't even realize you would come," he snarled out.

"You were expecting resistance however," he said. "The bullets in my partner more than prove that."

He turned to the woman, looking down at her. She looked beautiful, pure white skin without a mark on her. Anyone who looked might have thought she was only resting, asleep and would get up any moment with only a little nudge.

"It's not that I don't admire you for being willing to do anything to bring back the woman you love," he said suddenly as he turned to Kaiba, "but you can't do it this way. I've come here, not to stop you, but to help. I can bring her back... if you're willing to let Miss Hawkins and the professor go."

"How can I believe you?" Kaiba demanded, seeming tense and agitated. He was clearly shaken by the news the stone wouldn't work, and judging by the book and glowing stone on the table, he'd been trying for some time with no success. "The legends in this books say that the stone can heal her."

"And it's done a wonderful job, there is not a mark on her," he said. "It will not however, bring her soul back. You are hoping in vain. I'm sorry. I can however. It will only be a short while though. I can't give her life... but I can allow you to say good bye."

Seto Kaiba gripped the table, shaking a little. He looked down at the woman, before breaking out in a sob.

"We... we were going to marry in the winter... her favorite time of the year..." he whispered. "I... I can't lose her. She's everything to me. I needed the Blue Eye to save her. Don't you see? I can't... I can't live without her."

Ryou nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll have a few minutes, at best. Do you wish for me too, or would you rather that I wait and-"

"Do it. Now," Kaiba said. "Please..."

"Very well," he said, nodding.

Turning to the beautiful corpse, he laid his hand on her forehead. He started to speak, but it sounded more like a low hum in the air. Long and foreign words came out of his mouth, and the glowing stopped suddenly, cutting off as the room seemed to pitch itself into darkness. The candles flickered out before one by one they each lit again, yet somehow the room only seemed darker than it had before, cold and desolate.

"I will give you a happy reunion," Ryou whispered, his voice in a low hiss and his eyes draining of their color, only white left as he turned to look at Kaiba. "Her soul is yours to do with as you wish... Enjoy it, little mortal."

If the words were shocking to anyone in the room, it compared to nothing when Kisara opened her eyes slowly, a shuddering breath leaving her lips. Kaiba pushed past Ryou roughly to grab her hands, holding them tightly in his own.

"Kisara, Kisara can you hear me?" he asked frantically. "Kisara, please answer me."

"Seto... my love..." she whispered as she smiled up at him. "I was afraid... I'd never see you again. I'm so happy."

"Kisara... I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I only wanted to see you again. I went insane with grief. I never meant-"

"Shhh," she said, reaching up and pressing a finger to his lips. "I have seen what you did... and I... I appreciate your devotion to me. I love you... so very much, and I will wait for you in the beyond... Please do not weep at my passing. I am still with you... and I will always be with you. You're the only one who has my heart. Good bye... my love."

Her fingers slowly slipped from his lips, her arm falling onto the table. Kaiba's eyes widened as she smiled at him one last time before her eyes slowly drifted closed, never to open again.

"Kisara... KISARA!" he yelled. "No! Open your eyes! Please, don't leave me! D-don't leave me again!"

He turned toward Ryou, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

"Again!" he cried out. "Please, bring her back again! I don't want to lose her!"

Ryou however, sighed and shook his head.

"I can't," he whispered softly, his eyes back to normal and his voice the tone it was before. "I don't have a way to. It's a one time deal, I'm afraid. Her soul can't be wrenched from her resting place again. I could bring her body back permanently, but it wouldn't really be her, only a walking corpse. Do you really wish to put her body through that?"

Kaiba's arms dropped from Ryou before sinking to his knees. He buried his face into his hands, trembling and broken. The detective could do nothing as the man started to weep bitterly, turning away after a moment and looking at his companions.

"Let's go," he said, picking up the Blue Eye and slipping it into his pocket. "We have no more reason to be here."

The trip back was made in silence, and when they had left the mansion Ryou hailed down a cab discreetly for them. The police were only just starting to arrive as they pulled off, and the man was already thinking of what to tell them if they showed up on his doorstep. He would leave it to Mr. Kaiba to deal with, but just in case he was too big of a mess to handle it, he'd have to be prepared.

Not that he wouldn't understand why he would be too much of a mess to come up with a convincing lie. He was hardly in the shape for it after all.

"Detective Bakura," Professor Hawkins said as they were carried back to the Hawkins household. "I never would have expected to see you rescuing me."

"Yes, it seemed best to come back to London after my studies to continue my work," Ryou said with a smile. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Wait. You two know each other?" Rebecca asked.

"We met on one of your grandfather's travels, and came back to London together," he explained. "We had many talks about the occult and magic over our trip, and became good acquaintance. I traveled much back in the day when I was learning my magic, you see. In fact, I do believe you've quoted a few things I've said in your reports, did you not?"

"Ah, I see you've been keeping up with them. That makes me happy," he replied.

"No doubt the reason why Kaiba insisted on you being forced to come along," Ryou stated. "He no doubt knew of your knowledge too, and wished to keep you to ensure the stone worked. Speaking of, I do believe this is yours."

He slipped the Blue Eye out of his pocket and handed it to the professor.

"I don't understand any of this," Rebecca said. "If you knew him, why didn't you come to help? How is Mariku still alive? What did you do to that woman back there? How is any of this possible?"

"I did come to help, if you recall," he answered. "I think what you mean to ask, why didn't I come with you to begin with?"

"Well, yes."

"I will admit, I had more interest than I led you to believe. You see, I was going to go after him on my own, but I didn't want you involved, you should know why. After all, it was dangerous in there. I'd planned to go there on my own and offer Kaiba what I gave him, a chance to say goodbye to his fiance in exchange for Professor Hawkins' return, along with the Blue Eye. I was already there when you and Mariku came in, and when I heard the commotion, I figured you two had just gotten in trouble, so I had to save you. As for Mariku and my abilities, well I'm a seasoned necromancer. I bring people back from the dead. Mariku is the only one I was able to give another life to permanently. He's a special case, as you can see, and the only one I was ever able to create. Doing the same with Miss Kisara was impossible."

"But why?"

"To be put bluntly, I only had one component to bring him back," he explained. "The process was complicated, and I'm afraid it would take too long to explain. Besides, we're almost back to your home."

The young woman didn't seem pleased with not getting a full explanation, but it seemed to be enough for her. Looking out the window as they continued along, she seemed thoughtful for a second before looking back at Mariku.

"Are you alright?" she asked him. He was now completely healed, but there was still blood all over him. They'd had to have made quite a sight to the driver if Ryou had not distracted him while they'd all hurried to climb in.

"I've had much worse, little lady," he said with a smile. "No need to worry. The worst I have right now is torn clothes. That's about it."

"Well... I guess all's well that ends well," she said. "Though it doesn't seem very well to me."

"No," Ryou said. "Mr. Kaiba was hardly happy with the few moments he had, and you two made a rather big scene getting inside, while I just snuck in. Scotland Yard will want answers, and it's likely they may come looking for them. With any luck, we are out of the woods, but I'll breathe easier on that in a few days when I know for sure."

He smiled however when they reached their stop and the two climbed out of the carriage, bidding them thanks and farewell before the cab started to move again, this time Ryou's own home the destination.

"Nice of you to lie to her," Mariku snorted.

"Oh?" Ryou asked. "How do you know?"

"You sat right back down to read once she'd left," he said. "You were never going to go after the professor."

"Well...actually I was," he admitted. "I just couldn't go immediately, especially if you knew. I planned to wait until you wouldn't see me leave and then run off. It was a gamble to wait, and I would have hated to lose him, but... well, I didn't want to risk it."

"Risk what?"

Ryou frowned.

"You."

"What?" Mariku asked, feeling shocked. "I was in no danger, and you know that. Okay, the blow to the head slowed me down, and fucking hurt, but I-"

"I had heard the stories about the Eye granting life again too," he said to interrupt him. "I didn't know if they were true or not until now. Could you imagine what could have happened if they were? You're an undead creature, Mariku. If the stories hadn't been false... what could it have done to you? It might have sundered your connection to your body. Maybe it could have made you mortal again, and Kaiba could have easily killed you then. If I went there and you knew about it, you would have insisted on coming along. I... I couldn't have risked your life, even if it was for another. Of course, you had to run off anyway. I hoped to take care of it all there before you got there, but I didn't have much luck."

"Ryou... I..." Mariku sighed. He didn't know what to say. It was both kind and sick what the other was willing to do for him. Pulling the other into his lap, he gave him a lopsided grin before kissing him. "Just don't do it again, you depraved freak. I don't want to hear about you running off without me to protect you. It's why you brought me back for the dead in the first place."

"True, but I didn't plan to get so attached," he said, resting in Mariku's arms. "If you had been hurt..."

"Ryou, you've dealt with loss before," he said. "It's not like you're like that Kaiba man."

"A loss in family and a loss of a lover are too close to say they're not the same thing," he said. "I think after one more... I might have been horrible enough to try those things he had done."

Mariku stayed silent for a moment, holding him close and resting his chin on Ryou's head. This relationship of theirs was an odd one, but he certainly couldn't say he didn't love Ryou. Somehow they'd just become close. He knew things about him Ryou would never share with anyone else, and in the few years of being together, they'd long since stopped being just master and servant. As they rode along on the cobbles, the carriage rocking along back home, he sincerely hoped he would be with Ryou forever to save him from loneliness and insanity.

End of Chapter 3

I hope that was worth the wait for everyone, and that they enjoyed it. Looking back, it was a bit of trouble to get this all written, but I certainly enjoy the final product and I hope you do too. Just review to let me know. Thanks.

Of course, as always, thanks to Ria for betaing. Thanks go to Thooruchan as well, for being able to come back after her move and help out at well. Really appreciate it, girls.


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